Six Heads One Crown (The Pearl of Wisdom Saga Book 3)

by Jason Paul Rice

  “Much gramercy but I need no escort. The Gods will watch after me and decide when they need to take me. I must apologize for missing your coronation. I heard it was a modest, understated affair and I must commend you on this. You obviously have my blessing as king. I only hope you don’t expect me to sink to a knee or treat you any different than the poorest man who believes in the faith,” Orian warned.

  “I understand completely,” Jon told him.

  The frail man slowly rose and exited the room.

  Jon walked across the Capitol to visit Tormel’s new site for building weapons and armor. Jon arrived out of breath and wished he had taken a horse as he walked up to the door. He could hear hammering and construction as he entered and was greeted by the King of Scholars in his usual tattered epitoga and accompanying body odor. Jon looked around and saw a quiet young man in the corner who appeared to be patiently layering fabrics for a winter shirt. The small man first pressed down and patted over the entire area of a layer of fabric. He picked up another layer of woven fabric and brushed it with resin. He kept adding more layers to create a very unlikely armor jacket. Jon didn’t understand exactly how the fabric jackets worked better than iron or steel, but he had seen the results firsthand. The protection was extremely lightweight and gave his side an advantage in battle. The only downside was that a person needed help from at least one other and maybe two to secure the tight-fitting jackets.

  Jon asked, “What happened to those…those little things that explode?”

  Tormel spoke slowly as usual, “The incendiaries have run into a problem. On our travels to get everything we needed here, our wagon wheel busted and one of the necessary ingredients was lost. We are waiting for some more to arrive from Ton Abelisey.”

  Jon wanted to know, “So do you have any completed right now?”

  A rank smell emanated from the underside of Tormel’s armpit and filled the air as he scratched his head and said, “Approximately fifty, but we won’t be able to produce more for at least another month. And as I have told you, it’s quite the volatile process, to say the very least.”

  Jon made a promise, “I’ll only use them if the need should be dire.”

  Jon woke up on the day of his daughter’s wedding in a cold sweat. He had a slight buzz in his head. He hadn’t been getting any crippling headaches since the imprisonment and saw it as the only positive taken from the experience. Jon went and ate breakfast before going to see his little girl prior to the ceremony, but he walked in on a grown woman.

  She was in a small perfume room with four makeup tables and flowers covering all the walls. Jon could barely breathe from the heavy smell of the freshly cut stems and lively petals.

  Her jewelry, dress and make up made Jon see her in a new light. “Father,” Mariah greeted Jon.

  “Hello there, are you getting nervous yet?” he asked.

  Mariah nodded to her father with a reserved smile. Deydranna stopped working on the bride’s make up and left the room so father and daughter could have some privacy.

  “It’s natural. At least you had the chance to know Torvald before the wedding. I only knew your mother from a few conversations. You two will be just fine today,” he reassured her.

  “Thank you, father,” Mariah said.

  “I still can’t believe this day is upon us. I remember when I could hold you in the palm of my hand. The first time I held you, I never wanted to let you go. I looked at you and saw perfection. That tiny baby grew into a child who loved to argue with her father. I commanded rough and rugged men twice my size who never gave me half as much trouble as you. That child grew into a teenager…she still loved to argue with her father,” Jon smiled as tears welled up in both of their eyes. He continued, “And that father wouldn’t have it any other way. I couldn’t be prouder of you and I love you even more now than when you were a perfect little babe. I used to dread this day. I could never envision a young man worthy of my perfect daughter. I have kept you close by my side for good reason but I can’t think of a better man to give you away to.”

  “I just wish his parents could be here to see this. You would have loved them. I know you would have, I just know it,” Mariah told him.

  Jon rubbed his daughter’s frilly shoulder and said, “I’m sure I would have loved them, my dear. I’ll bet they are looking down from the heavens with a big smile for the both of you.”

  Mariah rubbed the golden bull hanging from her neck that now caused her to think about Lucille and said, “I never thought this day would come. I remember the day I heard you and mother had been killed. That nightmare shifted to a dream before my very eyes when I saw you both again in Riverfront. I thought this could finally be the way to impress you.”

  “Impress me? What could you mean by that?” Jon asked.

  “With the boys, they have other ways of impressing you with swords or longbows. I never had that chance to accomplish something like going away for war duty,” she said.

  “Oh, my sweet dear. You don’t need to impress me. You’ve always impressed me. Being able to grow up with your brothers is an impressive feat in itself,” Jon smirked.

  “Thank you, father,” Mariah told him.

  “It may seem like I give you a hard time because I am used to dealing with rough and tumble men most of the time. It’s hard to switch back and forth from gentle father to disciplinarian duke with the snap of a finger. With that said, I’ve failed as a father if I’ve ever given you the impression that you disappointed me,” Jon told her.

  “No, it’s nothing you’ve done. It’s not you, it’s me. I just feel like I haven’t accomplished anything worthwhile up to this point,” Mariah said as Camelle entered the room.

  She looked at her mother in a plain yellow gown with an extremely conservative neckline and long sleeves. What must have been the least decorated gown at the wedding brushed the ground. She didn’t wear any make-up or jewelry. The long gown covered up Camelle’s shoes, which were Mariah’s favorite part of the outfit.

  “We may need to cancel the wedding, my love. Our daughter’s gone mad. She’s somehow under the impression that she has let us down,” Jon said.

  Camelle seemed rushed and quickly said, “We don’t have time to worry about this nonsense now. And that is absolute frippery, Mariah. Now, the King needs to leave so Deydranna can finish our daughter’s extravagant make up. The poor girl is pacing back and forth outside the door. She’s worried there won’t be enough time to finish, so goodbye father,” Camelle said as she pushed Jon out the door.

  He stopped and gave his daughter a hug before being hustled out. He heard Mariah say, “I love you father.” He wanted to return the courtesy but the door shut again.

  A-MARIAH

  Deydranna rushed over to her supplies and got back to work. She finished the gold leafing around Mariah’s eyes and forehead. An exotic, swirling pattern of glowing yellow accented by concentrated streaks of silver made Mariah look like a foreign princess. When Deydranna had first proposed the idea to Mariah, she had rejected it. Deydranna had then painted the face of a new member of the Queen’s court named Lady Morgaine and showed her to Mariah. The princess fell in love with the look and even Camelle approved. It took Mariah about an hour to convince her father to give permission. Mariah wanted to distinguish herself from all the previous princesses of Donegal on their wedding days. Her father was a traditional man but as long as she agreed to sport golden bull accoutrement, Jon went along with it.

  Deydranna attached the choker, and the object lived up to its name. A snug, uncomfortable fit became immediately annoying. Her mother pulled the charm on her golden bull necklace, looked at it and gently placed it back near her daughter’s heart. I wish Lucille and Edword were here. If you can hear me from the heavens, we love you. We will always love you and wish you were here.

  Deydranna grabbed the long white lace ties and wrapped them around Mariah’s arms to produce a beautiful crossing pattern. Her shoes had matching strings that extended and intertwined up her le
gs and were hidden under a dress that hung to the floor. The rich purple material had seven crowned bulls’ heads stitched in Goldenthread around her midsection.

  “Seeing you like this takes me back to my special day. I arrived in Riverfront to meet your father the night before our wedding. Take deep breaths and enjoy everything. You only get one wedding to remember forever. I thought mine was grandiose until I inspected these party plans. This should prove how much your father loves you. I would have never expected your father to approve these plans, let alone add to them. It scared him more than he is willing to admit when he almost lost us. Now, he sees what’s important to you and he supports it,” Camelle said.

  “It’s no secret that you had a lot to do with it, I’m sure. I know I’ve always been a handful and I appreciate everything you’ve done for me over the years. I’m not always quick to say thank you to father and you,” Mariah confessed.

  “If you think you were a handful, you better hope to the heavens you never have any boys. Keeping up with their antics of constantly harassing Ruxin kept me busy enough. You were a treat to raise for the most part. You don’t need to thank a mother for what she is supposed to do. As a mother, it’s days like this that gives us all the satisfaction we need. Just think, your brother’s official wedding celebration with the family will be next week,” Camelle said.

  “I can’t believe he is going to miss today, my wedding day,” Mariah complained.

  “Your father and brother are under the assumption that the soldiers won’t fight if one of them isn’t out there. That’s the foolish thinking of men; get used to it. I had a long argument with your father over this and he said he sent Ruxin to the west where there’s no chance of conflict. Ruxin thinks he is doing this for you so your father can attend the wedding,” Camelle explained.

  “Two weddings in two weeks. Your children have all grown up,” Mariah said.

  “Both of you aged years in mere months. Hardship will do that to a person and although it may have been good for you, I hope you never have to face anything like that again,” her mother said.

  “Me too, but I wouldn’t be getting married to Torvald if I hadn’t experienced that. Is it true that Krys is with the Wamhoffs?” Mariah asked.

  “I think it’s only a cruel ploy to manipulate your father. I hope this is true, nobody does more than me, but the Wamhoffs demand your father give them the kingdom in return. No one has confirmed that they have Krys and, until someone does, I fear this is only the dirty tactics of war. No, don’t cry, your face will run,” Camelle warned.

  Mariah tried to hold back the tears, “I just wish there was something I could do to help.”

  “There is. You can go enjoy your day. If your brothers were here, they would be so happy for you. They had a strange way of showing it, but they loved you. I can remember a time at the markets when the boys overheard George Ropert saying he kissed you and played under your blouse,” Camelle said, to protect Mariah.

  George had insulted Mariah for having big buckteeth that she had since grown into. Camelle knew the real reason would make her daughter self-conscious so she conveniently changed the story but all the rest was true.

  “Your brothers warned him that he better stop but the little chatter mouth carried on with his stories. Ruxin, the smallest of your brothers, grabbed the boy by the throat and pushed him up against a storefront. George reluctantly agreed to stop and Ruxin let him loose. I probably should have stepped in and stopped him, but I was a proud mother watching him defend his sister like that. If the situation were ideal, Ruxin would be here for you. Ruxin thinks he is protecting you today, just like he did back at the markets with George. As you spend more time with Torvald, you’ll find that men act in unusual ways. Your brother, even as a very young man, demonstrates these signs,” Camelle told her.

  She finished talking to her mother and Deydranna placed the multi-flower chaplet secured with lace over Mariah’s head. As the time neared, Mariah walked in circles around the tiny room.

  The rest of the day was an overwhelming whirlwind of events.

  Her father had proudly escorted her up to the altar in the castle chapel. Mariah looked around the room as they moved toward the stage. A lot of the guests looked like they were going to fall asleep as the ceremony closed in on about three hours. She continued as the people threw flowers in front of her path. She looked ahead at Orian and felt guilty about the flower throwing despite his toothless grin. Her attention moved to her husband-to-be.

  Torvald Malik wore the perfect outfit of shiny, dark blue hose to show off his powerful legs and blend in with the color of his bride’s dress. His black doublet had seven argent rams sewn around his belly and lower back to match Mariah’s dress. Her father let her arm fall before grabbing and kissing her hand. He looked her in the eyes and said, “I love you. You make me so proud.” He kissed her hand again and held it against his heart for a moment. Mariah could feel her father’s excitement as he extended her hand to Torvald. The smiling young man from Bottomfoot eagerly grabbed Mariah’s hand as she still looked at her father and they shared one final loving gaze. Jon kissed and hugged his daughter before taking his seat next to Camelle.

  Mariah’s next memory was walking out of the rectory with Torvald to the thunderous cheers of the attendees. The ceremonial throwing of ground wheat wasn’t Mariah’s favorite part of the ceremony as the grains got stuck to her body and in her dress. The grain was to encourage a fertile family but Mariah wished there was a better custom.

  The next thing Mariah knew, the guests were starting to sit down in the grand hall for supper.

  She saw Orian approaching and greeted him with a curtsy.

  He said, “I’m afraid I must take leave.”

  She was almost offended and asked, “Why? Are you and your friends not having a good time?”

  He shook his head and replied, “Too much it should seem, and that’s precisely the problem. I need to become scarce before I indulge too greatly in these good times. There are too many handsome women here to prevent my thoughts from remaining completely pure. I don’t want to whip myself to death, right here on your celebration day.”

  Mariah disagreed, “It’s not sinning if you don’t act on it though. Just thinking about sin is natural.”

  Orian raised his prominent eyebrows and said, “I like that word. Natural. If we think about sinning over and over, we will start to act on it eventually. Thwarting temptation can prove a fruitless endeavor despite the greatest of effort being given. Thinking about sinning is the first step toward the deed itself. It becomes natural and we make rationalizations to justify our sinful actions. Then, we start lying to cover up the other sins and madness takes over as a vicious wheel spins out of control. Have fun, my dear, but remember salvation is most often steeped in selfless acts of humility.” He looked around at the expensively decorated hall and went to leave.

  Mariah asked, “Are you sure you and your friends don’t want to stay and eat? I can have part of the meal brought out early if you would like.”

  He turned to face her and answered, “I’ve already taken full advantage of the servants with their trays of treats but my friends would like to stay if you would permit.”

  Mariah immediately reassured him, “Of course, I would be happy to do so. I will make sure they are well taken care of. In fact, I am going to take any food that is left over to Kimberton to distribute to the people.”

  He looked at her and wrinkled his nose before he responded, “I suppose that will bring smiles to a good many, but it will depend on the gluttony practiced in this hall prior to delivery. Now if you would be kind enough to excuse me, I must atone for these impure thoughts I’ve been having. My dear.” He nodded and walked away as Mariah looked around the hall.

  She really started to see the money wasted that could have been put to a more charitable use.

  Several jugglers on low-stilts approached the married couple and heaved several large, fragile vases in the air. The surrounding crowd held
its collective breath until the fragile objects landed back in the men’s hands. They continued to rotate the vases and even tossed them back and forth for added difficulty. The autumn wedding called for warm clothing, and most of the women’s attire consisted of a combination of ermine, pean, vair, potent, fox and squirrel fur mixed with various colors of layered charmeuse, chiffon, duchess satin and crushed velvet. She looked at the corner of the room with the barrels of wine from all around the world stacked high against the wall. Every course of the twenty-one course meal was to be matched with a special wine to enhance the flavor of the dish.

  It wasn’t until the fifth course that Mariah started to feel guilty about the expense of the grand event again. She bit into a chicken liver on a piece of stag horn that had been sliced thin and fried in lard. She thought about her brothers and fought away tears wishing even one of them could have been present.

  After the dinner was served, there were tables set up with dessert items for the guests to serve themselves. Everyone got up and walked around and Mariah found herself surrounded by her Bottomfoot friends. Callice marched up to the group and started to sing,

  “A pair can pair for all of time,

  For no reason or no rhyme,

  Perfect man with woman to match,

  The strongest love, now watch it hatch,

  A pair lived with honor and died so too,

  They touched so many, not just a few,

  We’ve cried, we’ve wept and mourned the loss,

  That mighty bridge, we cannot cross…”

  Callice stopped singing suddenly and she heard gasps coming from the crowd. Mariah couldn’t understand what was happening until she stepped out from behind her husband and nearly passed out. The same feeling hit her as when she had seen her mother in Mattingly, after believing her to be dead.

  Tears liberally fell to the matted rushes. Beyond the dance floor, Mariah could see her father approaching with a ravishingly dressed woman. She rubbed her eyes and almost fainted. Callice stopped singing and silence snared the tongues of the stunned crowd. There stood Lucille and Edword Malik, alive and well. She didn’t pass out this time, and ran over to Lucille and Edword to give them a big hug as the couple was being swarmed by awestruck family and friends. The euphoria lasted several minutes and the group hug was finally broken.